COVID-19 is scary. Many people are rushing to the store and panic buying as much food and supplies as they can. Many officials are advising people to not panic buy. FDA Commissioner, Dr. Stephen Hahn, advises Americans to only buy a week’s worth of groceries.
Panic buying has consequences and is negatively affecting people’s day-to-day lives. Johann Acevedo-Llabres, a musician living in South Florida, explains how his family has been rationing food and eating meals once a day. “It’s a combination of not being able to afford the food that we need and people getting to the store before us,” says Acevedo-Llabres, “we’ve been reduced from eating full meals to very small ones.”.
Giana Clase, a grandma raising her two young grandsons, says she desperately needs diapers and foods, like pasta and canned soup, but hasn’t been able to find it anywhere.
“Buying more than our fair share of things, means other people won’t get their’s,” says Adam Westbrook IN his opinion video posted on the New York Times’s website. The people who won’t be able to go out and get the supplies they need are usually people with lower incomes.
To combat panic buying, stores are limiting the number of hand sanitizers, disinfectants and toilet paper people can buy. They’ve even shortened store hours to give employees a chance to restock their inventory.
“Trader Joe’s has limited their store hours to encourage social distancing and make sure employees have a chance to put up the extra product, while not overloading them with work,” said an anonymous source who works at Trader Joe’s. “It’s to make sure customers are able to get the groceries they need before it sells out,” they continue.
Grocery stores in the United Kingdom have published a joint letter online asking people to stop Panic Buying. “We understand your concerns but buying more than is needed can sometimes mean that others will be left without. There is enough for everyone if we all work together.”
Panic buying isn’t necessary. It’s causing more harm than good, and it isn’t making this situation any easier for us.